PIA17677: Ride Along with MESSENGER: Movie 1


Ride Along with MESSENGER: Movie 1

Caption:

Click here for larger version of PIA17677
Click on the image for the animation

This movie was assembled from 284 individual NAC images. Most of the images were acquired four seconds apart, the fastest that MDIS is capable of taking full resolution images, but the movie is shown with 15 images per second. In the second half of the movie, Mirni Rupes can be seen in the top right.

These images were acquired as part of the NAC ride-along imaging campaign. When data volume is available and MDIS is not acquiring images for its other campaigns, high-resolution NAC images are obtained of the surface. These images are designed not to interfere with other instrument observations but take full advantage of periods during the mission when extra data volume is available.

Date acquired: October 04, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 23235568-23236706
Image ID: 4945491-4945774
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Initial Center Latitude: -33.79°
Initial Center Longitude: 310.4° E
Final Center Latitude: -43.43°
Final Center Longitude: 324.6° E
Resolution: 145-174 meters/pixel
Scale: The first image is 148 kilometers (92 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 75.7°-87.7°
Emission Angle: 3.0°-15.2°
Phase Angle: 72.6°-72.5°

Background Info:

The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. MESSENGER acquired over 150,000 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is capable of continuing orbital operations until early 2015.

For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy .

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mercury
System
Target Type Planet
Mission MESSENGER
Instrument Host MESSENGER
Host Type Orbiter
Instrument Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Detector Narrow Angle Camera (NAC)
Extra Keywords Grayscale, Movie, Radio
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2013-11-08
Date in Caption 2013-10-04
Image Credit NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17677
Identifier PIA17677